Castles Made of Silver Sand
by R.B. Lynn
Summary: A closer look at the world of the characters of the wizarding world and beyond. (Rated T just to be safe) (Also on Ao3)
1. Quiet Moments

AN 11/18/2017

 _This will be a series of mostly unconnected one-shots of the Harry Potter universe, mostly from the books._

 _The title 'Castles Made of Silver Sand' is from one of my favorite songs, 'Vinyl Memories' by SHEL._

* * *

 **Castles Made of Silver Sand**

Quiet Moments

-Written by R.B. Lynn-

 _Petunia does some thinking after being forced to move in book seven._

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Petunia Dursley loved to have control. She loved patterns, routines, normalcy, she loved her house. And now all of that had just been thrown out the window.

She had thought that her life had turned completely on its head when her sister was declared a witch. She had thought the same when she had been informed through a _letter_ of all things that Lily and her husband were dead and now Petunia would be responsible for raising Lily's son, and when Harry had begun attending the same freak school her sister had gone to.

But now Petunia and her family were stuck in the middle of a war she only vaguely remembered was even happening, yet had somehow uprooted her entire life. This was the war that had killed her sister. The war that had now forced her entire family to move.

She lay in her unfamiliar bed in an unfamiliar house, wide awake. Her husband's rumbling snores filled the room.

Petunia slipped out of bed silently as to not disturb her husband, though she doubted much could disturb him now. She went downstairs, where she sat on the couch and stared at the blank television screen.

She hated magic. She had ever since she knew it was real. It had separated her from her sister, had led to her sister's death, and had consumed her life and thrown it to chaos. And yet…

And yet it was during these quiet moments that she felt something like regret. She would wonder if could have turned out differently, better, if she had not been so opposed to magic. If she had not distanced herself from her sister. If she had treated her nephew more like a son and less like a servant.

But these were fleeting thoughts, not lasting even a full moment before she pushed them out of her head. Magic was unnatural. Those who used it were nothing more than occasionally dangerous freaks. She had built the better part of her life on those beliefs, where would she be left if she questioned herself now?

And here she was, sitting in an unfamiliar house running from a war she had no place in, protected by layers of the very thing she had despised for so long.

She glanced out the window and she swore that if she looked closely enough she could see the faintly shimmering outline of the enchantments that protected her family.

Everything else in her life had been turned upside down, perhaps it was time for a change in thinking.

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AN 11/19/2017

 _I made Petunia more than a bit OOC. It's very unlikely that after the Deathly Hallows Petunia would have a change of heart when it comes to magic. Still, this was interesting to write. I've always liked the challenge of seeing the Harry Potter world through the Petunia's eyes. She is, we'll all admit it, a horrible person throughout the series. Yet we see that she has motive behind her attitude towards magic, her feelings of envy and isolation from her sister. Not to say that the way she treats Harry is justified, far from it. It's just interesting to think of things from her point of view._


	2. Maps and Insults

**Castles Made of Silver Sand**

Maps and Insults

-Written by R.B. Lynn-

 _Lily finds the Marauder's map._

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Lily was returning to the Gryffindor common room late that night when she first found it.

The common room was empty, everyone else had gone to bed already, even the marauders. She collapsed in a chair by the fire, and there it was, sticking out from between the cushions of one of the armchairs by the fireplace. It looked just like an ordinary piece of parchment. Anyone else would think nothing of it.

But this was Lily Evans. And she knew that particular armchair was James' favorite. She knew that James and his marauder friends had been working on something big since the school year started. And she knew that when Potter was involved, it was highly unlikely that this piece of parchment was only a piece of parchment.

And so Lily picked up the parchment and murmured a quick _revelio_ spell. And what appeared… well, it wasn't quite what she had been expecting.

Writing appeared on the parchment, spreading from where her wand tip and touched it.

 _Mr Moony would like to say that Ms. Evans should really be smart enough not to poke her nose into other people's business._

 _Mr Prongs..._

 _Mr Padfoot would like to express his apologies to Ms Evans for Mr Prongs inability to form comprehensible sentences in her presence. And also would Ms. Evans stop being such a know-it-all._

 _Mr Wormtail would like to ask Ms. Evans to stop taking things that don't belong to her._

 _Mr Padfoot would like to point out to Mr Prongs that he must say something insulting to Ms Evans. He would also like to point out that this brings him no small amount of amusement._

 _Mr Prongs says that Ms. Evans is insane… ly beautiful. Did you do something new to your hair? It looks wonderful._

 _Mr Moony points out that is not an insult._

 _Mr Padfoot agrees with Mr Moony and would like to tell Ms Evans that Mr Prongs is blushing red._

 _Mr Moony would like to tell Mr Padfoot that Mr Prongs cannot be blushing because this is an enchanted piece of parchment. Also, would Ms Evans, please go on a date with Mr Prongs already so he can stop moping around? It's very annoying._

Lily laughed. So this is what they had been working on.

She glanced around the common room, confirming that she was alone. She tucked the parchment under her arm and carried it with her to her dorm. She could let them fret over finding it for a few days.

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She was rewarded when the next morning she was greeted with four frantic marauders scrambling around the common room.

"Damn it, Prongs, what did you do with it?" Sirius growled.

"I thought I must have forgotten it here last night!" James shouted back frantically.

"Guys, stop talking and just find it!" Remus called out to them.

None of them noticed Lily's small smirk as she walked past them and exited the common room.

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 _Please review and feel free to leave suggestions!_


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